


Here's the Plan

by dittyditto (Triple_A)



Series: Not quite the same, but still alright. [3]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Connor (Detroit: Become Human) Likes Dogs, Connor has a crush on the rat man, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Half-Siblings, Gavin's Cat is named Turtle, Gift Giving, Good Friend Tina Chen, I am so tired, It's like a secret santa, M/M, Matchmaker Tina Chen, Out of Character, aside from Asshole and Side Cop, because it's in march, but not, dpd is not good at planning but anyways, for reasons explained by the other parts of this series, gavin reed is nice, sad face, sorta?, the only reason this fic is in this series is because Arel is in it, to a degree because lets face it does dbh give gavin and tina canonical personalities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-15 00:29:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18487576
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Triple_A/pseuds/dittyditto
Summary: The DPD holds a Secret Santa in March. Gavin participates for once. Tina is expectedly extra. Connor likes dogs.Against all odds, it goes better than you'd think.(In which Gavin realizes things, Connor is good at picking gifts and Tina and Hank are devious but caring.)





	1. A Secret Santa in March

**Author's Note:**

> fluff fluff fluff fluff fluff
> 
> i just needed to see them give presents to each other okay i know i missed crisma

The DPD's "Secret Santa" couldn't be considered a Secret Santa. It didn't even happen around Christmas.

It wasn't even supposed to be called any variation of "Santa" to begin with, but because "Anonymous Gift Exchange" sucked as a name in general, it became Secret Santa. In goddamn March.

Well, not like it mattered. A gift's a gift. The exchange was usually held to celebrate the passing tradition by one of the original founders of the Detroit Police Department building, who'd bring gifts and whatever to the employees on his birthday every year. After he died, it was a tradition or something. At least, that's what Gavin knew of the history. He hadn't really paid attention the first time Fowler talked about it, nor had he paid any more attention the many other times Fowler talked about it.

He's sitting at his desk when the communal police cap gets passed around, full of tiny slips of paper with someone's name on each. Connor pounces at the opportunity to get his-Hank follows behind, a little exasperated but amused. Tina takes the cap and pulls one out, and doesn't even bother to look at it before she's shoving it into Gavin's chest. 

He sputters. "T, what the hell?"

"You always said you'd do one with me, Gav, and you never do!" She says, in a sing-song voice. That tone usually meant she wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer and he was essentially cornered. "Besides, I already submitted your name in. You'd look like a dick if you got something but didn't give anything."

"You fucking _what_?"

She shakes the hat. "Hurry up and choose!"

With a noncommittal grunt, he takes the one closest to him. He unfolds it, and sees, written in tiny black print, "Chris Miller".

Well, that's fine then. He knew Chris well enough to get him a gift, better than most, at least.

"Who'd you get?" He asks Tina, and she shakes her head. She's perched on the edge of his desk, twirling the little slip of paper between her fingers.

"The point of the Secret Santa is that it's supposed to stay _secret_ , dumbass."

"Oh, eat ass, T. You and I both know you're gonna text me who it is anyways."

On cue, his phone buzzes. On the front screen is a new message from none other then Tina.

 

Groupchat: sl00t time

Members: SpitFire🔥🔥, gayweed420

08:47:21

 

**SpitFire🔥🔥: The lieutenant**

 

**SpitFire🔥🔥: now tell me urs**

 

"Fuckin' knew it." He mutters, and Tina kicks lightly at his shin and giggles as he types in a reply.

 

Groupchat: sl00t time

Members: SpitFire🔥🔥, gayweed420

08:48:16

 

_gayweed420: chris_

 

**SpitFire🔥🔥: damn, was hoping you'd get someone like Marcy or smth**

_gayweed420: you just wanna see me get pissed about not knowin g what to buy_

 

**SpitFire🔥🔥: ;^)**

 

"We can go to the square after our shift tomorrow. They're holding the Artisan's Market this week anyways." She says aloud, and she has that glint in her eye that means she's planning something. "Do you think they're gonna have that one melted cheese vendor again? God, that was _so_ good." 

"You mean raclette? I fuckin' hope so. It smells so awful but-" Gavin mimes kissing his fingers, and grins when it makes Tina laugh.

"That's what you said about Turtle when you first met him."

"That's what I said about you the first time I met you."

"You fucker!"

* * *

As it turns out, Gavin actually had no idea what to get Chris.

Not because there's nothing there that he'd think Chris would like, which was his original concern.

But because there's too much stuff, and Gavin can't choose.

Tina, in all her helpfulness, rolls her eyes at him as he's balancing two variations of "#1 BRO-FRIEND" mugs in his hand. "Just get him something, Gav. You know he'll like whatever."

"That's not the  _point_ , Tina. I gotta get him something that he's going to actually use or whatever, or it can't be counted as a good gift and I'll just seem like a shit person." Gavin groaned, setting down both and walking out of the pottery shop with her. She hands him back his raclette, and it takes a lot more self control then he'd care to admit not to inhale the entire damn thing. "Like, this is why I don't like 'Secret Santa' bullshit. I can never figure out what to get someone."

"Gav....that's the only reason why people wouldn't like Secret Santa's."

"Not true. Also, the fear of getting something that's absolute bullshit in return."

"Ah, fuck, you're right. Well, how about that little stand over there? They're selling knitted stuff."

The place she's talking about is small and wooden and glows with a sort of coziness Gavin can’t describe. The pastel sign above advertises: “Lilo’s Stitches!”, illuminated by fairy lights-so on theme and ridiculously cute that Gavin knows he wouldn't have given it a second glance if not for Tina. They make their way over, and they're almost there before Tina suddenly grabs him by the jacket sleeve and drags him into the dark space between stands. The small cone of potatoes and cheese almost falls from his hand, and he barely catches it.

"Ow, what the fu-"

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, but that's Hank. Over there."

He leans out and squints, and sure enough, there's Connor and Hank perusing the knitted goods. Connor has draped a large, ridiculous-looking scarf around Hank's head and is laughing to himself.

"So? What's the deal?"

"I can't go shop in there. Like, the point of the Secret Santa is-"

"Is that it's secret. No, I get it." Gavin sighs, already knowing where this is going. "So, you're saying you don't wanna go in there because Hank's going to be in there? You know he probably doesn't give a shit either?"

"Gavin, stick to the principle? Please?" She's bordering on whining, not quite begging. And Gavin hates to admit how easily it works on him.

"The principle of this is that this is ridiculous." He grumbles, but he knows he's already lost this battle. "What do you want me to do?"

"You know I love you, right?"

"That's not answering my question, hurry up before I change my mind."

"Alright, alright, here." She waves her hands excitedly, and acts like she's drawing out a floor map. "Here's the plan..."

* * *

The plan, as it turns out, is ridiculous, over-dramatic, and so classically Tina.

Gavin goes in, and engages with Hank and Connor. Asks him loudly what he's looking for and whatever. Spills his raclette on Hank's shirt so that he has to go outside and get napkins of whatever from his car. Give time for Tina to get into the store, make her purchase, and leave before Hank is none the wiser.

("Won't Connor tell him?" Gavin pointed out, one of the many flaws in the plan.

"Connor's a bro. He knows what's good." Tina had waved it off, indifferently. Gavin wasn't sure he agreed, but whatever.)

He stepped into the stand. It was bigger then he initially thought, with a small table where the lady had a cash register and two shelves that were covered in an expanse of yarn-made objects. Hank and Connor were the only two customers there besides him, both browsing a display of socks.

They all seem to freeze when Gavin steps in, and immediately Gavin feels the start of performance anxiety building in him. He coughs, slightly. "Uh, hi?"

"Gavin!" Connor says, immediately reverting to something bright and cheery and rarely directed at Gavin... _not that he cared_. "What are you doing here?"

"Same reason you're here, asshole. I have a life outside of work." He grunted. "I have an anonymous gift receiver to choose something for. Against my will." He adds on.

Hank huffs, and wrinkles his nose. Gavin was already desensitized to the odor of the raclette, but clearly not Hank. He thinks he should take a picture, and snorts.

"Wow, never thought you'd join in on this Secret Santa stuff." Hank grunts. "Whoof, what is that? It stinks."

"First of all, neither did I. It was Tina's idea. Second of all," He waves the cone slightly in front of Hank's face, and the older man recoils slightly. "It's raclette, and it's fuckin' delicious. You should try some."

"Uh, hard pass." He coughs, then claps Connor on the shoulder. "I'm gonna take ten. The smell's getting to me, alright? I'm gonna go to that dog-themed stand we saw earlier and see if anything there screams Sumo."

Connor blinks. "O-oh! Alright!" He says, a little too loud. "See you later, then!"

Hank waves him off, and Gavin momentarily pats himself on the back for getting rid of him without sacrificing his food... before remembering that he never got an answer as to what Hank wanted.

Shit. Tina was gonna be peeved.

"Detective, do you mind if I ask who you're buying a gift for?" Connor's voice cuts into his thoughts, all politeness and kindness and innocent curiosity. So genuine it makes Gavin's heart hurt at the idea of someone being honestly interested in him.

_God, Christ in heaven. He needs a drink after this._

"Uh...okay. First off, don't call me 'Detective' outside of work, okay? It's weird." He grumbles. "And secondly...isn't the point of a Secret Santa keeping things secret?" He inwardly kicks himself for basically quoting Tina word for word.

"Hm, shall we trade information then?" Connor steps closer to him and reaches over to pick up a knitted toy, a neon green lizard patterned with blue. "I might be able to help you."

Gavin had to give it to Elijah-he really knew what he was doing when he made androids able to adapt to human unpredictability and actions. Connor had just emulated Tina's sing-song-do-it-bitch tone perfectly, and it worked scarily well coming from his mouth. Maybe too well.

He didn't want to think about what that meant yet.

He puts off answering to shove another cheese-covered potato into his mouth, almost burning his tongue. "Uh...fine, whatever. What information are you offering?" He grunts, turning face to the side.

"Well, I could tell you who I'm buying for..."

"I don't really care."

"...or, I can tell you what Hank wants?"

Well, that'd work. Gavin shrugs and pretends to be indifferent. "Better than learning whoever you're buying for. I'm trying to get something for Chris."

"Oh, Officer Miller." Is it just him, or does Connor sound...just a little bit disappointed? "Well, this shop has a selection of throw blankets that are specially designed to be soft enough for an infant as well. He now has a child, if I remember correctly."

"Of course you remember correctly, Con." Gavin sighed, but he finds a grin spreading over his face all the same. It was a good idea, one Gavin might take. "Alright, well. What about you?"

Connor sets down the lizard and picks up a little crocheted dog, a golden retriever. He squeezes it to his chest absentmindedly, and Gavin feels something heat in his chest that's definitely not heartburn. "We-ll, that's hardly a fair trade Dete-Gavin. I gave you advice and now you want to know what Hank wants?"

Oh, that clever little shit. "Okay, fine. How about I'll tell you who Tina's buying for?"

"I've already made a good guess with 80% likelihood that she's buying for Hank. Also, I could hear you guys talking about it through the walls."

"You motherfucker."

"I can't help the fact that you don't know what discretion means and that I have good ears."

"Alright, alright. Fine. Well, what else do you want to know?" He shoots his empty paper cup into the trash can by the door. It clatters around the rim before falling in, and he pumps his fist. He turns back around, and sees Connor smiling at him in some kinda ...Gavin didn't even know. Admiration? Something else? "What?"

Connor turns away, obscuring his face. "Nothing." Gavin can still hear the smile in his voice. "How about...what do you want most?"

...Well he wasn't expecting _that_.

"Why would you want to know?" He huffs, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Does it have to do with _your_ Secret Gift Receiver, maybe?"

"Nope!" He chuckles, hands still playing with that little dog, and dammit Gavin's heart needs to shut the fuck up and chill out, because that was no reason to jump suddenly just at that image. "Just curious."

"Fine, fine. You first though."

Connor's smile gets bigger, more fond. "You drive a hard bargain, Gavin Reed."

"Only for you, Connor...I don't know what your last name is. Did you take Anderson's?"

"I've been considering it. But, that's something else entirely." He sets the dog down with an almost wistful smile on his face, and Gavin quickly takes note of the price tag of it. For reasons. "Well, if you so insist. Hank has been complaining about how his phone makes him look old and lame. Make of that what you will."

"So, a phone charm."

"I said, make of it what you will." Connor shrugs, then moves over to pick up a white hat with bunny ears that dangled over the ear flaps. "Now, it's your turn. What do you want most?"

Gavin can't help the smile that spread on his face. "You really wanna know?"

"I asked, didn't I?"

"Alright, get ready then..." He places his hands up and spreads his fingers, like performing a magic trick. "Nothing."

The other man places a hand to his chest and pretends to look affronted. "Why, I never!"

"It's the truth!" Gavin laughs, and he picks up one of the blankets Connor mentioned earlier. It really is soft, he might consider getting one for himself. He selects one that's blue and patterned with multicolored fish. "I don't really care what I get, I guess. There's nothing I really need right now, not physically. As long as it isn't done with bad intent and has some meaning behind it."

Connor groans, and hands the hat to the cashier, who pops off her headphones and rings it up. "Gavin, I can't believe you successfully managed to con me like that."

The opportunity's too good to waste-he tamps down a snicker. "Not like it's hard to 'con' you. It's in your name."

He fully deserves the punch that hits his shoulder, though it's light and without malice. "Gavin Reed...you are something else."

"Connor No-last-name-yet, I am a goddamn delight." Gavin laughs. The cashier rolls her eyes and takes the blanket from his hands, and rolls it up in tissue paper.

"You're worse than Hank sometimes, I swear." There's a smile in Connor's sigh, Gavin can tell, as he leaves the little shop. "I'll see you later!"

"Bye." He says, a little late, but Connor's already gone.

The cashier drops the blanket into a brown gift bag. "Is that all, sir?" She asks.

Gavin's getting ready to say yes, but then his eye catches on that little dog Connor was toying with earlier. "Uh, actually..."

* * *

(When he goes out to meet with Tina, feeling guilty about ditching her for like ten minutes, he finds her sitting at a table by the concessions, sipping an iced tea and looking like she couldn't care less that he did everything except what was on her master plan. She appreciates the idea of a phone charm though, and they stop by a little stand selling tech accessories before they head home.)

 

* * *

 

Two weeks later, and they're gearing up to give gifts.

It's a whole to-do, kinda like the holiday party, except less ugly sweaters, bright decor and excess drinking (so, actually, not at all like the holiday party). Gavin's gift, still wrapped in its soft lavender tissue paper, is dropped in the present pile in front of Fowler's office with "CHRIS" scrawled across it with fat black sharpie.

He's early, and people are still milling in groups on the outskirts of the bullpen, not yet at desks or stations. Glancing around to make sure no one else sees, he takes the little dog he'd bought from his pocket-now with a navy blue ribbon tied around its neck like a necktie-and drops it on Connor's desk as he walks by it, casually. Telling himself that it's just a whim and it means nothing; he was allowed to be nice sometimes. No one needed to know.

Then he rejoins Tina and everyone else beginning to surround the present pile. She sits cross-legged in a rolling chair- _his_ rolling chair-and waves to him as he approaches. She'd bought the Lieutenant a doggie phone charm, a tiny rubber Saint Bernard that was meant to keep dust out of the headphone port. It was the smallest out of all the gifts, and so sat at the top of the pile in a small box wrapped in paw-print paper.

"You're so extra." He muttered, as he sits on the floor near her.

She nudges him with her knee and rolls her eyes.

"Alright, people." Fowler calls out, walking over. The chattering hushed. "You know the drill. I call out the receiver, and then you come out and take your gift. Announce your guess for you Santa-your _giver_ , or don't. But do come up and take your gift." He takes Tina's package. "Hank Anderson!"

As predicted, Hank loves it-he roars with laughter for a good few minutes as he puts it on his phone, and is still chuckling softly at it as other people receive their gifts. A few notable highlights: Fowler receives a new pair of earmuffs that have "SHUT UP" embroidered on them in big block letters, much to the laughter to the others. Tina receives a bottle of wine that comes with two tickets to a musical-he can see her already formulating battle plans for a date with Elise as she regards the bottle. Arel, a GS200, gets the bunny hat Gavin had seen Connor buy earlier, and promptly tugs it on over their hair with a furious grin practically exploding on their face. They guess Chris, guess wrong, and shrug before flouncing back to their seat on one of the desks.

Chris gets his blanket, and Gavin breathes a sigh of relief when the officer smiles at it with appreciation. "It's so nice. I don't even know if I want to give it to my kid or keep it for myself." He chuckles, returning it to its wrapping and tucking it beneath his arm. He guesses Hank, and Gavin shakes his head and points to himself, which incites another chorus of surprise and laughter.

He's so caught up in it he forgets that he's supposed to receive a gift as well, so it catches him off guard when Fowler takes a round, lumpy, birthday-wrapped package and says "Gavin Reed!"

"That's the first time you've called my name without yelling at me to get in your office." Gavin remarks, drily, as he takes the gift. Fowler looks at him with the promise of that threat, but he's smiling all the same. Gavin tears into the gift, and finds-

A neck pillow. White, spotched with orange and brown, and with one rounded end bearing two tiny triangular ears, two tiny paws and a peaceful, contented face. The other end has a tail and two more paws.

"Oh my fucking god." Gavin says aloud, as Tina hoots with laughter. "This is the cutest shit I've ever seen." He glances around, trying to focus on anyone who would consider it-honestly, it might be anyone. They all knew full well about his pet cat, Turtle-he made sure of it the first day he got to work with pictures of the feline. "Collins, did you do this?"

The older detective shakes his head, leisurely sipping from the "BEST BRO" mug he'd received from Fowler earlier. "Nope. It was Hank."

"Ben, you fucker!" Hank growls, but Gavin's already wrapping the ridiculous thing around his neck.

"You did good, Anderson. This is the best thing I've ever gotten."

"Don't let it go to your head, Reed." Hank grunted, but he looks pleased.

The last gifts get sorted out. They return to their stations, still talking about it. Tina's on the phone with Elise, already excitedly talking about the whens and wheres of their musical date. Gavin returns to his desk alone, rolling along on his chair that Tina had previously vacated.

There's a package on his desk. It's a soft baby blue and wrapped with purple ribbon, and he picks it up and feels something soft inside. "To: Gavin Reed " is written on it in curly silver letters.

He glances around. No one else gives any indication of knowing about it. He doesn't even see any sign that they are aware of it.

Like any good detective, he tears it open before he can think twice.

A maroon wad of...something falls onto his lap. It's knitted, but a little messily. And as he picks it up, he can see that it's a scarf, soft in his hands and smelling of something good. Like pine? Something?

He glances around again. No one has yet taken notice, so he shoves it into his backpack. For whatever reason, he doesn't want people to look at it yet-he wants to deduce this puzzle on his own.

But someone else did see. Connor passes by his desk as he's stuffing it away. "What's that, Detective?"

"Uhh..." He looks to Connor, then to the corner of the scarf still hanging out of his bag, then to Connor again. "Nothing?"

"You're a terrible liar, Detective."

"And you're nosy, Connor." He sighs, but grins ruefully all the same. "It's a scarf. Don't know who gave it to me though, it was just dropped on my desk, addressed to me."

"Hm." Connor thinks for a moment, LED swirling yellow, blue, yellow, blue. “Perhaps they just appreciate you more than most, and wanted to give you something more to show that.”

“Hah! Who would be delusional to think that?” Gavin snorts, but then immediately feels guilty. Connor looks suddenly, for the briefest of moments, crestfallen. “I mean- I’m not exactly the most pleasant person to be around.”

Connor shrugs. “You might not think so, but clearly, that sentiment is not shared.” He nods at the scarf. “You are loved more than you think, Detective.”

It takes a moment for the words to register. “Wait- what is that supposed to mean-?”

“Connor!” Hank calls before Connor can answer. He’s standing besides Connor’s desk. “When’d you get this?”

He pointing at the little dog. Gavin’s heart leaps to his chest-he’d almost forgotten.

He watches with a thudding heart as Connor walks over and picks it up, turning it over in his hands with a look of such soft wonder that it makes Gavin’s heart hurt. “Oh…” He says quietly.

Gavin can’t stand it, he looks away. Pretends to scroll through some random case report on his monitor. But he can still Connor’s voice, cutting through whatever disjointed focus he has for the screen.

“I don’t know...I didn’t buy it. I think someone left it here for me.”

“Well, who’d do that? ‘Cuz it sure as hell wasn’t me.” Hank snorted, but Gavin can hear the curiosity in his voice.

“I don’t know. But…” And now Gavin can feel Connor’s eyes on him, burning a hole through his head and reading him like an open book. “I think I can guess.”

“...so, what, you’re gonna guess but not tell me?”

“I think I’ll let them stay anonymous for now. I don’t know for sure, after all.”

“Connor, you’re a literal detective android, I know you can just do a little scanny thing and figure it out.”

“Shh, Lieutenant, let the mystery pervade...there are some things that should be like two ships passing…”

“You need to stop watching telenovas, I swear to Christ.” Hank grumbles. They move away, Gavin can hear their footsteps fade in the direction of the evidence rooms. He finally dares to look over, and sees the dog, positioned to dangle over Connor’s monitor screen, staring back at him.

If he can look into those button eyes and tell himself he doesn’t have a crush on Connor, then he’s fine.

…

...Well, shit.

He’s too distracted to try and get anything done now. He slings his bag over his back with the plan to go home and have a few beers, before sleeping on it. He can feel the added weight of the scarf, minimal but there, and seemingly amplified in proportion to the weird lightness on his chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> epilogue to be put up later im too tired rn


	2. Epilogue...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /aggresive fortnite dancing/ my head hurts and im gay
> 
> ON THIS DAY 'CHA BOI GOT ACCEPTED INTO A SUMMER UNI PROGRAM it means nothing to put this here but i don't feel like opening up a calendar to mark the day so here we are

Groupchat: Operation: Turn the Frogs Gay

Members: Lieut.Anderman, SpitFire🔥🔥

21:42:58 pm

 

**Lieut. Anderman: plan worked like a charm**

 

 _SpitFire_ 🔥🔥: _what did i tell u?? Im always rite on these things_

 

**Lieut. Anderman: i gotta say, chen. I dont think ive seen con this giggly...like, ever. Dnt think gav would be the one to do it either**

 

 _SpitFire_ 🔥🔥: _well big fuckin’ kudos 2 both of us then, for helping these useless gays do smth about it 4 on_ ce

 

**Lieut. Anderman: didn’t peg u for a matchmaker**

 

 _SpitFire_ 🔥🔥: _didn’t peg gav for having the hots 4 connor but here we are. thx for working with me to get them alone the other day_

 

**Lieut. Anderman: yea dont mention it. nd thanks for the charm, i dont think ive like d my phone this much since 2015**

 

 _SpitFire_ 🔥🔥: 👍  _glad u liked it!!!_

 

**Lieut. Anderman: aight im conkin’ out. con keeps smilin’ at that damn knit dog. I think sumo’s gettign jealous**

 

 _SpitFire_ 🔥🔥: 🐶🐶🐶

 

 _SpitFire_ 🔥🔥 _:_ _if it makes u feel any better gav put on the scarf the moment he walked out the building and wouldn’t stop grinnin like an idiot_

 

**Lieut. Anderman: christ what fuckin saps**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hank and tina...brofriends
> 
> all of this was a verbal dunk i slapped onto the keyboard in like an hour dont @ me
> 
> i wasn't into convin until i met peeps in the detroit discord who gave me....reasons so thanks guys

**Author's Note:**

> i make all my fic summaries similar apparently, so like...that's fun
> 
> this was so fun to write...maybe not that conjoined or sensical in the canonical timeline with No Change but you know what?/?? its here now and im gonna leave it in that series
> 
> join us! at the detroit new era discord: https://discord.gg/gXFfbJh


End file.
